God Has a Sense of Humor – Bible Truth – Laughter from Heaven

God definitely has a sense of humor. In the following story, we see God’s sense of humor is in full display. In the story we are reminded of what happens when we let our greed and arrogance guide our steps, instead them being directed by God.

The story can be found in the book of Numbers chapter 22. This story is about Balaam. It was said of him – those he blessed, stayed blessed; those he cursed, stayed cursed. He lived in an area which is now present day Iraq. Balak was the king the king of Moab with a serious problem. The Israelites were being led into their promised land by God. Israel was camped at their front door, ready to attack. Israel greatly outnumbered Moab and Balak knew they didn’t stand a chance against them.

Balak had heard of Balaam and requested his help. He sent messengers to Balaam asking him to come and curse Israel, so that he might have a chance to prevail against them. Balaam told the messengers that he would sleep on it. That night God came to Balaam in a dream and instructed him not to go with Balak’s messengers, because Israel was His chosen people. So Balaam told Balak’s messengers to go home. Balak then sent more messengers to Balaam offering him great amounts of money, if he would just come and curse the Israelites. The promise of great riches enticed Balaam, his greed surfaced and he prayed to God once again to see if God would change his mind. God had already spoken to Balaam and instructed him in the matter, so this prayer did nothing but make God angry. But, God told Balaam, sure go ahead. God sometimes lets us go ahead with our own folly, after He has already told us no, especially when greed is involved. So when morning came, Balaam left with Balak’s messengers. God being angry had decided to kill Balaam for his disobedience using an angel to carry out the death sentence.

Balaam gets up in the morning, saddles his donkey, and goes off with the messengers. An angel of God holding a sword appears in the road. Balaam cannot see the angel, but the donkey can, so the donkey swerves off the road into the ditch. Balaam beats and beats the donkey trying to get it to go back onto the road. But the donkey heads off in a dead run through a grape patch, with a narrow fence on both sides. The donkey again sees God’s angel blocking the way and runs into the fence, crushing Balaam’s foot against the fence. Balaam begins beating the donkey again. As God’s angel blocks this very narrow passageway, there was no getting through on the right or left. Fearing the angel, Balaam’s donkey sits down on the ground. Balaam becomes enraged and continues beating the donkey with his stick.

God then gives speech to the donkey. The donkey speaks to Balaam: “What have I ever done to you that you have beat me these three times?” Balaam answers, “Because you are playing games with me! If I had a sword I would have killed you by now”. The donkey answered back, “Am I not your trusty donkey on whom you’ve ridden for years right up until now? Have I ever done anything like this to you before? Have I?” Balaam answers, “No.” Then God opens Balaam eyes so he can see God’s angel brandishing a sword. Balaam then falls to the ground, his face in the dirt. God’s angel says to Balaam: “Why have you beaten your poor donkey these three times? The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it hadn’t, I would have killed you by this time, but not the donkey. I would have let the donkey go.” Balaam says to the angel, “I have sinned. I had no idea you were standing in the road blocking my way. If you don’t like what I’m doing, I’ll head back.” But God’s angel said to Balaam, “Go ahead and go with them. But only say what I tell you to say—absolutely no other word.”

Laughter from heaven – Like a heat seeking missile, God’s humor goes out seeking those of self-importance to pop their bubble. God’s humor shows no favorites; it delights in humiliating the proud and embarrassing the arrogant.

Here is the humor in this story –

God in his own sense of humor shows us that Balaam, the man who king Balak wishes to subdue the great army of Israel with his words, cannot even subdue his donkey with a stick.

Balaam, who claims to have prophetic insight, cannot even see the angel which his donkey easily sees three times.

Balaam who claims to have prophetic speech is overmatched by his donkey talking with the voice of the living God coming from its mouth.

Balaam, who boasts that his knowledge is from God, does not know what the donkey knows.

Balaam, who is the supposedly the wisest of the wise, is beat in a verbal exchange with the most stupid of beasts, his own donkey.

Balaam, who says that he would slay his donkey if only he could find a sword, cannot even see the sword that the angel is carrying.

The ridicule of Balaam by God using the donkey shows us the reality of his reputation in God’s eyes. It aims to show that Balaam, who was intent on going to the king of Moab without God’s consent, thinking he was wise, was a fool – a man outwitted even by his own donkey, a dumb beast.

So when you ask God about something, and His answer is no; do not let your own greed, pride, arrogance, or your own reputation go against what God has told you. Do not think yourself important in your own eyes, as our only wisdom comes from our Lord. But if you do, and your poodle, cat, or your canary starts talking to you, possibly straight from God’s mouth – you would do well to pay attention and repent. God has a sense of humor – don’t let the joke be on you.

37 replies

A great reminder on the importance of listening, obeying and following the voice of God in all things. To think of the number of “talking donkey’s” I have had in my life brings tears to my eyes . . . God’s sense of humor isn’t so funny after all! ~ God Bless ~

You are right Deborah -Sometimes it is not funny to be at the end of a joke, especially when God is the one delivering it🙂. I enjoyed reading The Broken Heart on your site at http://poetrybydeborahann.wordpress.com/. Your poetry is beautiful. Thanks for stopping by and sharing. Blessings in Christ – Darrell

Love, love, love it!!! Absolutely delicious and I ate the entire thing!! God has an outrageously, fabulous sense of humor – He is King of fun, laughter and good times, that is when we walk upright. Your lay out here shows us of God’s double whammy humor when arrogance lifts its ugly head.

I don’t know about you, but if one of my animals were to give me a rebuke in an audible voice, I would straighten up and fly right, like right now!! Then I would beat myself up for 10, 25 or probably 35 years for pushing God that far in the first place. But it would be super cool if my little dog – Ceaser, would conversate (I must have made that word up according to spell check, but I wish it were really a word because I like it) with me in an audible voice with happy words like, “mamma, you are the best,” or “my life would be flat without you!”

Any-who, I just love your post and thank you so much!!

p.s. If I am not living proof of God’s sense of humor – well, then I just don’t know what is! I mean just look at me….I can’t even see through all this furry fuzz covering my eyes!!!

Thank you so much🙂 I to enjoyed a couple posts- Jesus, How’d You Do It?, and Live with the King at your page, http://prodigalchick.wordpress.com/. Thanks for stopping by to read and share – Blessings to you in Christ -Darrell

I speak a lot of God’s humor. I have a very dry, ironic, realistic humor. I have been the butt of God’s jokes many times and expect that I will again. But, I praise Him that He is there and communing with me, teaching me. He has a purpose for us all. I respond to humor well. So you can imagine how much fun God has of me. I can be proud and arrogant. You do realize I am who I am, right? LOL

It is so human and I struggle with these two sins more than any others.

Hi Marki, I saw not a proud arrogant side but a kind compassionate side reading the Blue Impala at http://markiwalters.com/ when speaking of your mother. I realize that this was (I think a fictional short story) and then the realistic humor witnessed at the end with Sadie’s garden. Good read indeed:) Thanks for stopping by and sharing – Blessings Darrell

Thanks for your kind encouragement. In fact, my mother is still alive, but this is her wish for her ashes. It has taken my whole life, but I am much better with plants than I ever was. She teases me sometimes that she has to work hard with me cause she wants the a beautiful memorial garden. So, you see the humor is inherited! The Blue Impala was fictional in part, and non-fictional in part. Have a good week, Darrell. Ta!

I fear that in today’s noisy world, we will not hear even if God uses animals to speak to us. It will probably have to be nuclear bombs before we hear Him speak. It will have to be earthquakes before we are startled to obedience, most sad. Thank you for reminding that God wants to speak to us and we need to be listening for His Voice through the din of everyday living and obey.
Darrell, I will bless our readers of ChristianBlessings on 22 March, 2013 with your approval. Thank you.
Evelyn

You always have my approval at Christian Blessings http://ptl2010.com/. It is a wonderful site with talented writers and I am humbled to be shared there. It seems that the whole world has a problem listening to God, myself included…But I am trying🙂 Blessings Darrell

Oops! my furry friends talk to me all the time Darrell, perhaps they are saying more then asking for dinner Hmmmm I will need to listen closley before they get the whip out.

I have no doubt that God has a sense of humour He tells us there is a time for everything including Laughter it is a gift for us to enjoy.

Balaam disobeyed God , Balaam heard God’s voice but did not obey but the donkey did.

We are not Born with God’s wisdom but He tells us if we ask we will receive and He keeps His promises. If people claim we do not have His wisdom they are saying they can’t and that God does not keep His word but what He tells us will be confirmed in the Scripture

Hi again Darrell thank you for your agreement but I must apologist we are in a different timezone in Australia.
and I fell asleep as I was sharing with you and didn’t finish my comment, when I woke up thinking I had, I posted it.

Anyway I was just going to add that not all humor is good, God tells us to reject evil humour because it can plant destructive seeds, our reserves are down when we laugh, it relaxes us and this is very good but we need to be careful that we don’t accept what is evil because when we do we will not reject it in others or we will eventually do it ourselves.

Darrell, When ever I see God’s sense of humor in Scripture I always wonder why we don’t laugh and enjoy God’s word when we gather in church. When Jesus said take the log out of your own eye first, I am sure he cracked a grin.
As always, enjoy your blog, keep it coming brother.
Gregg

Yes He definitely does. I was reading on your site at http://journeyofthankfulness.wordpress.com/ that 1 billion people go to bed hungry every night. We must all be reminded how fortunate we are. Thanks for sharing – Blessings Darrell

If you are searching for the truth about God and His plan for mankind, where should you look? What is the only trustworthy source to find God’s truth? Would it be creed books, Bible commentaries and a variety of other written works of men?

THE HOLY BIBLE IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF ABSOLUTE TRUTH!

Jeremiah 30:1-2 This word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord, saying, the God of Israel, ‘Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book.

The Lord did not tell Jeremiah to check with Billy Graham, Joesph Smith Jr., Gandhi or Saint Augustine and write down their words.

Exodus 24:3-4 Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!” 4 Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord…….

Moses did not write down everything that John Wesley, Brigham Young, and Buddha had said.

Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God!”

Jesus said live by every word that comes from God. He did say say live by every word that comes from Pope Benedict XVI, Martin Luther, and Jerry Falwell.

Luke 10:25-26 And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying. “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ?” 26 And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?”

Jesus did not answer the lawyer by asking him “how does what is written by Robert Schuller, Mother Teresa and Benny Hin read to you?”

Acts 17:2-3 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”

The apostle Paul did not reason from the writings of Max Lucado, Pope John Paul II and John Calvin.

John 20:30-31 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

The writings of John McAthur, Jack Van Impe, Bill Hybels and Charles Swindoll were not written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ.

2 Peter 3:15-16 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures…

Peter said Paul’s letters were by wisdom from God. Paul’s letters were Scriptures.

Where does Peter say creed books, catechisms, Bible commentaries, books about the Bible, and other writings of men are Scriptures?